Flight passengers on a Ryanair holiday jet to Ibiza exited through an emergency chute after a passenger’s mobile phone battery exploded and caught light as it was about to take off. Holidaymakers could be seen falling over each other in a bid to get away from the aircraft as quickly as they could after the inflatable slide was activated.
The drama happened around 5.30pm this afternoon at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport as the packed plane prepared to take off for Ibiza.
No-one needed medical attention although some passengers are said to have suffered slight burns as they slid down the emergency chute.
Footage taken by onlookers and other passengers who had already left the aircraft showed the moments of tension sparked by the plane filling up with smoke.
Travellers were taken to the airport’s Terminal One while they waited to board another plane and their luggage transferred to the new flight.
Firefighters were not called upon to deal with the incident.
The unnamed passenger whose mobile caught light is said to be from New Zealand. The device is thought to have been in a suitcase in the hold above his seat.
